


I Dreamt of You

by accept_n_destroy



Category: Avatar (2009)
Genre: Dreams, Dreamsharing, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate AU, fated AU, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-05-31 06:24:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6459400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/accept_n_destroy/pseuds/accept_n_destroy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All his life Jake had dreamt of Tsu'tey and Tsu'tey had dreamt of Jake. What happens when they finally meet?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As far back as Jake could remember, he had only dreamt of one thing.

Every night, Jake dreamt of a face he had never seen, of a person he had never met, from a world he had never been to. As a child, he tried to tell his parents and brother, but they wrote it off as a product of an active imagination and grew tired of hearing about it.

Jake, on the other hand, never grew tired of his dreams, always eager to fall asleep and dream of a boy with gold eyes who looked so different than himself. As Jake grew, he watched the boy grow as well, watched as the small, lanky child grew stronger every day. He couldn’t help the jealously that coursed through him at times when he thought about the boy roaming freely among the lush planet, while Jake found himself struggling for breath at times within his own dying atmosphere.

In school, Jake was labelled a daydreamer by his teachers for his tendency to get caught up in his own thoughts while absentmindedly drawing pictures of golden eyes and braided hair.

Jake grew up and joined the marines in a last ditch effort to achieve some semblance of the excitement he found in his dreams. He found himself excelling, using the skills he had watched the other boy, now a man, learn every night. He was grateful for the escape the dreams offered on particularly hard days, when bullets had whizzed passed his ear and fear ran through him like blood.

One night, though, things began to change in his dream world, when a stranger wandered into the perimeters of the other man’s territory. The woman, whose body was similar, but not exactly the same as theirs, spoke English, which surprised Jake enough that he had to fight to stay asleep. He felt the confusion and fear that the other man tried to hide as the woman explained that she was from a planet called Earth, and that she had discovered their planet and wished to learn about them. Jake felt the anger of the young man, which he expressed freely when his clan leader decided to let her stay.

When Jake awoke the next morning, instead of the sense of euphoria he usually felt after a night of dreams, he felt a sense of dread. He had seen what humans did to their own home, he feared for what they might do to the lush, alien world he had come to love.

At first, the human in a Na’vi body, which was a concept Jake only had a very shaky understanding of from her attempt at an explanation to the people, named Grace, had seemed to be the only human there. But, as the Omaticaya people grew to trust Grace, she revealed that there were more like her that wished to learn. The people reluctantly agreed.

Everything seemed fine for a while, the humans, which the people called Dreamwalkers, taught them English, which Jake was extremely grateful for since, while over the years he had acquired a basic understanding of the Na’vi language, he was by no means an expert and still struggled to understand at times.

But then, one day, the Omaticaya got word from another clan of small, pale creatures being spotted moving in large machines, drilling and plundering the ground. It didn’t take long for the Omaticaya to learn that these small, pale creatures were humans. They confronted Grace and the other dreamwalkers, demanding an explanation. Jake listened, sorrow gripping at his heart when he heard how the humans were really there to mine for a rock beneath the surface.

Grace tried to apologize, explaining that she _was_ here to learn and that she did care. But the damage was done. The Omaticaya cast out the dreamwalkers, promising to kill any humans or dreamwalkers alike that dare enter their land.

A few months went by and everything seemed to go back to normal. Jake felt the betrayal and anger that seethed in the other man’s heart, and he hoped, though he knew it was in vain, that they had seen the last of the humans. But, when he received a letter from his brother, excitedly telling him how he had been chosen to be rocketed off to a planet light-years away to learn about the indigenous Na’vi people, he knew that the human’s involvement was far from over.

It was strange for Jake, to see that word _Na’vi_ , a word he had known since childhood, spelled out on paper, to have his dreams confirmed as reality. While that world had always been real to Jake, he had never quite let himself believe in it. But there it was, written out on crisp synthetic paper in his brother’s neat handwriting.

He wanted to write back, warning his brother of the horrors the humans had planned for the beautiful planet scientists had taken upon themselves to name Pandora, but he knew that if he did, he would sound crazy, and that that would be the last thought his brother had of him before being shot off into space. So, instead, he wrote a nice letter, congratulating his brother, meanwhile, dread set like a stone in the pit of his stomach. A deeper part of Jake, a part he tried to ignore, was jealous, jealous that his brother was going to the world he almost considered a home and that he might meet the man Jake had known all his life.

Jake was ashamed to admit that the dread and the worry he felt was put on hold when a well place bullet, or perhaps ill placed depending on the intent of the man behind the gun, lodged itself deeply and snugly into Jake’s spine. As he lay in that infirmary bed, he tried, but ultimately failed, to keep his jealously subdued as he thought about the other man leaping from tree to tree and running barefoot along the dirt floor of the forest.

In his dreams, however, Jake was confused by a sudden drop in the emotions of the Na’vi man, who, admittedly, was not known for his good temper, but in the days Jake spent in the hospital, he noticed the man growing especially moody, bordering on sullen. Jake watched as he wandered away from his clan to sit in a tree for hours, sorrow etched into his usually stern features.   

Weeks went by and the other man’s mood did little to improve, which did not go unnoticed by the other members of the clan, but who, after being snapped at several times, learned to leave him alone. The drop in emotion was affecting Jake greatly. He had always relied on his dreams of the other man to distract him from his worries, but it seemed that the more forlorn Jake became, the worse the other got. For the first time, Jake was miserable in both his conscious and unconscious life, and it only seemed to get worse.

A few weeks before Tom shipped out, Jake got the call telling him that the future his brother had worked so hard for, had been so excited about, had ended with a bullet for the paper in his wallet. The man on the other side of the call told Jake the time and place the cremation would take place, then hung up.  

As Jake sat in the wheelchair that he wasn’t quite used to, he watched as his brother’s lifeless body was consumed in flames, and only vaguely listened as the official looking men around him explained how much money had been invested in his brother and how lucky they were that they had someone who match his DNA genome to genome, because, of course, that’s all they cared about. Having nothing else to lose, Jake agreed to take over his brother’s contract.

While Jake grieved that night in his private quarters for the brother he had lost, he felt a comforting presence in the back of his mind, an alien warmth that encompassed his entire body, which he was sure he was imagining.

That night, in his dreams he noticed that the other man’s mood had improved to exponential levels, which was confusing seeing as it did not seem like anything had changed in the Na’vi’s life to prompt such a sudden change, but it was comforting all the same.

In the next few days, as Jake prepared to leave, he found himself growing excited. He felt guilty, but a small part of him was glad that this had happened. Thanking his brother for his sacrifice seemed wrong, but it is exactly what Jake did. He found some comfort that the loss of his brother had not gone to waste, Jake was there to fill his place and he couldn’t help but feel like there was no other man on this earth more fit for the job. Despite his lack of scientific knowledge, he knew all there was to know about the Omaticaya people, or, at least, one specific Omaticaya person.

            On his last night on earth, Jake fell asleep quickly, eager to dream of the world and the man he would soon meet.

His pleasant mood ended the moment unconsciousness reached him, however. All around him there was fire, the screams of the Omaticaya pierced his soul, he looked around, desperate to find the other man. Jake had never had to search for the man before, he had always arrived in his dreams right by his side, but the fire and the smoke was so thick around him that he struggled to make out anything at all. Dread filled his gut as he saw the silhouettes of figures too small to be Na’vi and he knew exactly who had started the fire. He set aside his anger, however, in favor of focusing on the task at hand. He looked up to see unfamiliar surroundings and felt a brief rush of gratitude that they were not near Hometree. But the feeling was fleeting as he continued to search for the other man, more panic flooding into him with each passing second that felt like hours. Jake struggled to see passed the heavy wall of smoke.

And then, there he was, fear and anger clouding those sharp golden eyes, fire surrounding him on all sides. He was breathing hard, coughing as smoke filled his lungs. Jake could hear the pounding, frantic heartbeat roaring in the others ears.

There was a sharp crack and branch from a burning tree splintered and fell atop the other man.

He lay motionless, struggling to stay conscious. A fresh wave of panic struck Jake as the edges of his vision began to darken. He knew from past experiences, like when they were both children and the other had misjudged the distance of a tree branch and had fallen, that if he was knocked unconscious, Jake would lose his connection to the other and float around in nothingness until the other awoke once more. Jake knew that if the other fell unconscious now, that would be the end, he would be engulfed in flames and his life, with all the potential that Jake knew it had, would end.

So, Jake, now desperate, tried to do what he had never succeeded in before and screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Get up!” but the other showed no signs that he had heard him, “Get up! Move, you moron! I swear to God, if you die before I get there, I will kill you! Get up!”

Jake saw the other’s ear twitch and that was all the encouragement he needed to keep going.

“Is this how you’re going to end? Crushed beneath a tree branch like an idiot!? Move!”

Another twitch.

“Aren’t you supposed to be next in line to be eyktan? What kind of clan leader lets themselves burn to death under a branch while they’re still conscious? Get up!”

Jake watched as the other’s eyes opened just a sliver, his ears now ramrod straight.

“Come on,” Jake screamed, his voice growing hoarse, “don’t you want to meet me? I know you, I know you’re strong enough to get up! So, get up, dammit! I’m coming over there and you better be waiting for me!”

At that, the other’s eyes flew open. Jake cheered him on as he strained, but soon dislodged himself from beneath the branch. Heaving the fallen limb up, he was able to push it through the wall of flames, creating a sliver of an opening for him to squeeze through.

The other man was quick to recover, moving quickly to assist his fellow Na’vi in remedying the situation.

Jake felt both his own and the other’s triumph as the remaining humans were driven away.

“I’m coming,” Jake whispered in the other’s ear as he felt himself waking up, “just hold on.”

As his eyes fluttered open, a new wave of determination settled in his heart. He wasn’t sure what his plan was in helping the Na’vi people, but he knew he had to do something, he just hoped they could hang on until he got there. It was a six year journey after all.

 


	2. Chapter 2

It had been six years since the humans' first attack on the Omaticaya tribe. Six years since he had felt that tug at the back of his mind pulling him from near unconsciousness.

It had been six years since Tsu’tey had dreamed.

The last time Tsu’tey had dreamed he had watched as the human he had known for so long was strapped inside a small chamber, a look of pure determination upon his face before he had fallen unconscious and had not awoken since.

After that, Tsu’tey had spent his nights floating in an endless, dark nothingness. He missed his dreams of the human, and he hated to admit that without them he had grown bitter. His dreams had become a refuge in a life filled with worry for his people, but now they only served as a reminder of how alone he felt.

Only Neytiri knew of the source of his bitterness, but it was impossible for her to truly understand. Still, she tried to comfort him, assuring him that his human would return to his dreams eventually. Tsu’tey would only nod, fear that she was wrong eating away at him like a parasite.

As Tsu’tey lay in his hammock, exactly six years since his human had absented his dreams, he dreaded sleep. Were it not for his biological need for sleep, then he would forgo it all together. He got no fulfillment, no comfort from sleep any longer, not without his dreams of his human.

“Sleep, Tsu’tey,” Neytiri whispered wearily from her hammock beside him, “You need your rest.”

“I get no rest from sleep” Tsu’tey grumbled.

“Have faith, my friend,” Neytiri said, extending a hand to brush his shoulder comfortingly, “maybe he will return to you tonight.”

“You have said this every night for the past six cycles,” Tsu’tey scowled, “I find it harder to believe every time”

“I have a good feeling about tonight,” Neytiri smiled, obviously half asleep already, “so sleep.”

“Fine,” Tsu’tey muttered, not believing her in the slightest, but turning on his side and closing his eyes all the same. Silently, he prayed to Eywa that Neytiri was right until he reluctantly fell asleep.

Tsu’tey didn’t even bother to open his eyes. He knew what he would see if he did. He was so tired of spending his nights floating around in nothingness so complete and so encompassing that he couldn’t see his own two hands in front of him.

“Are we there yet?”

It’s a voice Tsu’tey hasn’t heard in six years, but he knows it. Bless Eywa, he knows it.

“Yeah, we’re there, sunshine.”

Tsu’tey’s eyes fly open and there he is, strapped in that chamber just as he had been when Tsu’tey had seen him last. He’s just as he remembers him, the calm blue eyes, hazy with sleep, the soft brown hair cut so short, all the things Tsu’tey has missed so much.

He watches as his human is unstrapped and floats freely in the air, which confused Tsu’tey because he had never seen him be able to do that before. His confusion is quickly forgotten though as he watches his human stretch and his relief catches up with him and, for a moment, it takes his breath away.

For six years, Tsu’tey had felt nothing but fear and worry for his people he was not sure he could protect and for his human he was sure had been lost to him. But now, his human was returned to him, safe and exactly how he had left him.

Tsu’tey watched as his human floated absentmindedly for a while, getting used to moving again, not caring as the other humans grumbled at him for being in the way. After a while, he moved towards a large window, Tsu’tey right beside him.

Outside the window, Tsu’tey looked in wonder at the new view of the planet that was ever present in his own home sky. He looked over at his human, whose full attention seemed to be on the other, smaller planet, which Tsu’tey recognized as his own from the pictures Grace had shown him all those years ago.

He watched as his human placed one strong hand on the glass, his eyes filled with that same determination Tsu’tey had seen in the moment right before he had been lost to him for so long.

“I’m here,” his human whispered, “I’ll see you soon.”

Tsu’tey woke with a start and would have fallen out of his hammock if it were not secured around him. He lay there, panting, willing the thundering beating of his heart to slow to a more reasonable pace.

Once he felt himself sufficiently calm, he looked around, noting that it was still too early for anyone else to be awake.

Laying back and listening to the sounds of the forest around him, he allowed a small smile to form on his lips.

“I will see you soon, my human.”


	3. Chapter 3

Jake could not hear a single word anyone said the entire way down to Pandora. It was all white noise, every instruction, every attempt at conversation, he could not bring himself to listen, much less to care.

He could not tear his eyes away from any nearby window, every second he was getting closer to where he had known since childhood that he belonged. He never could have hoped to get this far, and yet, here he was, moments away. His heart ached as he replayed the last time he'd seen Tsu'tey, eyes aglow from fear and fire. He tried not to think about the reality of his situation, that all he had to assure himself that his counterpart was safe, was alive and waiting for him, was hope.

Jake, who had never been one for God or prayer, prayed to anyone who might be listening. He considered falling asleep in hopes of gaining certainty, but things were moving too fast around him, he would have to wait.

 

<<\--->>

 

Seeing his avatar was a strange experience. He wondered if Tsu'tey was watching.

He'd known how tall the Omatikaya people were from their encounters with humans before, but it still took him aback to see the giant figure floating in the tube. Jake ran his hands along the glass, comparing the size of their appendages.

The scientist, Max, had told him he'd be able to "take him out tomorrow", excitement and dread was pumping through him, it felt like acid in his veins. What if he got out there and there was no Tsu'tey to greet him, what if all that was left was ash and bone.

He shook the invading thought away as he was ushered off further into the lab.

Max called to a woman, who stood in the center of it all, looking very important, smoking a cigarette.

Jake recognized her even before Max said her name.

So, this was Grace, the woman he had watched come to the Omatakaya and gain their trust. Jake tried not to show that he knew her, but he could feel his distain and anger bubbling just below the surface of his skin.

Max introduced Norm, who was greeted with kindness more or less, quizzed briefly on his knowledge of the Na'vi language, and then welcomed to the team.

Grace's greeting of Jake was considerably less friendly, "I know who you are, I don't need you, I need your brother," she sneered.

"Well, he's dead, I know it's a big inconvenience to everyone" Jake scowled

Grace did not seemed deterred "How much lab training have you had?"

"None... slä oe omum nìwok oe tìkin" [but I know all I need], Jake tried to ignore how strange it felt to be speaking Na'vi to another person--something he had only done in privacy.

"So you know some Na'vi, big deal" Grace rolled her eyes, "that doesn't get you brownie points here, I don't need another empty-headed marine fucking up my research."

"I know more than the language, I know the people, I know the culture, I may not be trained, but I can assure you I know exactly what I'm doing." Jake snapped

Grace seemed momentarily taken off guard, but quickly composed herself and bit back "I guess you'll just have to prove it then."

 

The rest of the day dragged on, Jake helped Norm practice Na'vi and avoided any questions as to why he was so good at it.

They wouldn't believe him, no one ever did.

The less they knew the better, this was an operation, he knew that, if he told them about the connection he had with the Omatikaya people they would use it as an advantage. Jake wasn't going to let them ruin this, he would find a way to get to Tsu'tey, he would do anything he had to in order to find him on his own.

 

<<\-->>

  
Night came, and Jake lay in his bed too petrified to fall asleep, too afraid of what might be waiting for him on the other side. It had been six years, who knows what had happened during that time

As he lay there, Jake decided to do something he had only done a handful of times in his life, too afraid of sounding either moronic or insane--he decided to talk to Tsu'tey.

"If you're out there... god, I hope you're listening, because otherwise I'm going to feel really stupid... I'm so close," Jake whispered, hoping no one would hear him, "I will find a way to you, I promise. Just... you have to be okay. You have to be there when I get there, okay? It's... syay [fate], right? Now... wake up, so I can go to sleep and know that you're okay... I'll see you soon"

At that, Jake closed his eyes and forced his mind to quiet until he was able to fall asleep.

 

<<\-->>

 

Nothing.

There was nothing, it was black and cold.

Jake floated there in the pitch darkness, a lump rose in his throat, this was it, he was gone. Six years had been too long. Tsu'tey was gone, and he was alone. Why had he thought that this could work, why had he thought he could make any difference. Now he was here, on this alien planet, and the only thing he had left to live for was gone.

Then, a light broke through the darkness, and suddenly Jake was surrounded by a hazy atmosphere of trees and the faint sounds of birds in the distance.

There he was, stirring from his sleep. Jake stared at the other man, warmth growing in his chest.

Tsu'tey hadn't changed much, his features were slightly harder, even in a half sleep.

Jake watched the other man's eyes suddenly shoot open, "Jake" he breathed, before his face split into a grin, "I am here, Jake, I am waiting for you"


	4. Chapter 4

Jake tried to pay attention to the conversation going on in front of him between Norm and Grace as they walk along in front of him, but his heart was beating heavy in his chest and his head felt like it was full of led. 

"How much link time have you logged" Grace asked, her voice cutting through the fog in Jake's mind as they entered into the lab. There were horizontal pods lining the walls that he hadn't really noticed the day before.

"About five hundred and twenty hours," Norm said, wringing his hands together.

"Thats's good" Grace said, almost sounding impressed. Jake could've laughed at the look of relief on Norm's face. He didn't give two shits about what Grace thought of him, but Norm hung off every word out of her mouth like she was some kind of hero, he reminded Jake of a puppy, tail wagging at the smallest praise.

He watched Norm's face light up as Grace motioned to the pod he'd be using, immediately racing to it, running his hands along the edge, a look of awe plastered across his features.

Jake could've groaned as Grace turned to him, "You're here" she said, guiding him to the next pod over, "how much time have you logged?" She asked like she already knew the answer, but he couldn't fault her too much for that considering she was probably right.

"Zip," he shrugged "but I read a manual."

He could almost hear her eye roll as she continued to fiddle with the monitor and he had to fight down the smirk that threatened his lips.

"Tell me you're joking" she grimaced, but he ignored her.

He poked his finger deep into the gel lining, "This is cool" he flashed her an over-exaggerated smile. Jake normally tried to be polite and courteous to most people, finding it the easiest way to get through life. But he'd seen the consequences of Grace's actions, he'd seen the people it had endangered. It was just her bad luck that it happened to be the people Jake cared about. So, as far as he was concerned, she wasn't worthy of usual social graces.

Jake heard the whirr of Norm's machine coming to life and figured that was his cue. He braced himself against the edge and hoisted himself up into the the human-shaped indent in the gel. He tried not to think about how his legs dangled uselessly over the side. He wasn't used to it yet, he hadn't had time, he'd barely gotten out of the hospital before he'd found out about his brother and had been shipped off. Jake had spent his entire life trying to live like Tsu'tey, strong and powerful, obstacles easily overcome with a little brain power and strength, but this was an obstacle he could not overcome and he felt... lesser because of it. But he refused to be useless, refused to be helpless, so when Grace moved to help hoist his legs up into the pod, he shook his head. 

"Don't, I got this," he said as he swung his legs in with him. He didn't look up at her, he didn't want to see the pity in her features, he was tired of pity.

"So," Grace sighed, Jake felt his body tense, not sure what to expect, "you just figured you'd come out here, to the most hostile environment known to man with no training of any kind and... see how it went? What was going through your head?"

The question rattled around in his brain. Jake knew exactly why he was here, knew exactly what he was looking for. For Jake, it hadn't been a question of IF he'd come, it was a question of HOW and WHEN. In his half baked plan, fueled by need and want and longing, he hadn't considered his excuse to throw himself so easily into this situation. They hadn't cared too much when he'd agreed, they'd been to excited about the money they wouldn't be forced to throw away to care.

"Maybe I was sick of doctors telling me what I couldn't do," it wasn't a lie, "and maybe there's something out there, just waiting for me to find it." Okay, maybe that was a little too close to the truth.

Grace seemed to accept his answer, probably writing him off as an adrenaline junky jug-head. He didn't care. 

Grace pushed him flat, instructing him to keep his arms and hands inside. "Head down," she bit out as she pulled a breastplate-looking cage of wires and lights down onto this chest. "Just relax and let your mind go blank. Shouldn't be hard for you." She smirked as she grabbed the top half of the pod and began pulling it down.

"Kiss this darkest park of my little white-" the insult got cut off as Grace locked the halves together, leaving Jake alone.

It wasn't dark, the lights from the breastplate made the gel seem almost bioluminescent. He tried to keep his mind clear, not wanting anything to go wrong considering how little he knew about this whole process. But he couldn't keep his mind from wandering to Tsu'tey. He recalled how he had looked the night before, groggy from sleep. He hadn't changed much since Jake had last seen him all those years ago. His features had hardened, and Jake tried not to think of what had happened while Jake had been in stasis. A pang of guilt went through him, while it had only seemed like a moment to Jake, Tsu'tey had waited six years. 

Jake's resolve hardened. "Almost there" he whispered to himself before letting his mind go blank.


	5. Chapter 5

The world was fuzzy as Jake opened his eyes, sound muffled. The overpowering smell of antiseptic seemed to suddenly reach, and at the same time attack, his nostrils, drawing his mind closer to consciousness.

Two figures came into a focus above him, "Jake, can you hear me?" The words sounded as if he was underwater.

A light was shone directly into his, still focusing, eyes.

"Can you hear me?" A little less underwater this time.

Lights were in his eyes again.

He felt very much like a frog on a lab table.

Suddenly, two snaps of fingers, right beside his ears, and everything slid into focus.

"How are you feeling, Jake?" The woman above him asked

"Hey, guys" Jake tried a smile, feeling oddly lopsided, like he was trying on a new suit in a dressing room, having to shake and straighten bites into place.

"Welcome to your new body" the man said and the two stepped back out of his direct view.

Jake felt his world tilt on its axis and then suddenly snap into a new position. He had momentarily forgotten what was going on, where he was, and what had just happened. He lifted his oddly heavy limbs in front of his face. Blue. It was all very blue. He flexed his hands, feeling slightly disconnected from them.

"Good, we're gonna take this slow, okay?" The man said, popping back into his line of sight. He could hear another man to his left telling someone, he assumed was Norm, to touch his fingers together.

"Do you want to sit up?" The woman asked, a second behind Jake, who had already moved to prop up his torso.

"We're gonna take this nice and slow, Jake-" the man kept talking after that, but Jake couldn't be bothered to listen as he focused in of his lower half. A rush of fear coursed through him. Could he move his legs? It only made sense, right? His problem wasn't in his brain, but his body and this was a new body. His legs would work, Jake repeated this in his head as he attempted to flex the muscles he hadn't quite forgotten the feeling of.

He felt his heart still, and then a toe moved, and he could breathe again.

He vaguely heard a praise for his motor skills from one of the scientists beside him, but they got drowned out by a rush of adrenaline. Jake was suddenly restless and he, more or less, subconsciously decided that he wasn't going to sit there and go over fine motor skills.

He felt, rather than heard their protests when he planted his feet on the floor and braced himself against the gurnee. Then he was standing, albeit shakily.

He knows they're panicking as he wobbles, but he can't stop now.

"It's okay, it's good, I got this" he tried to reassure them as he braced himself against the glass.

He heard something shatter and he suddenly became aware of a tail, his tail, as it wrapped around his arm. There are more crashes when he tried to get a good look at it, which led him to decide it would probably be best if he got out of the room, which seemed small in relation to his, now, much larger body.

He heard the word 'sedate' as he attempted a step, and that just solidified his resolve to get out of the room. The scientists were running around, panicked, but they seemed very far below him and he didn't care.

He took another step, felt a tug, and promptly ripped off the wires connecting him to motors behind him.

Another step and he was wobbling again, he braced himself against the glass in front of him. He could see Max yelling orders, trying to get him contained. "You're not used to your avatar body, this is dangerous!"

Jake flashed him a grin, "this is great."

At that, he stumbled his way to a large door to his left and pushed it open, oblivious to the chaos he had left in his wake. He could apologize later.

A rush of air hit his face as he opened the second door, he had to blink a few times to let his eyes adjust to the new, natural sunlight, instead of the artificial lights he'd just been under.

When he could see again, he took a second to take in his surroundings. A few scientists stood nearby, looking startled at his sudden entrance... or, more accurately, his sudden exit. A couple other people in avatars were playing basketball on a nearby court.

Jake took a few unsteady steps towards them, he apologized vaguely for interrupting. He could hear commotion behind him, recognizing the voices of the scientists and Norm.

He wasn't about to go back into that lab to be chastised, so Jake, still buzzing restlessly with adrenaline, decided to start running, or, at least, trying to.

He dodged avatars along an obstacle course and could hear Norm's almost equally unsteady footsteps behind him as he called for Jake to stop. But Jake was, with each step, beginning to feel more and more connected with this body. Soon, his shaky steps evened out, and he was running, leaving Norm far behind him.

He felt a laugh bubble up from his lungs as his feet hit the ground, the impact reverberating up his body. He had never thought he would be able to do this again, to feel the ground beneath him, to feel the burn in his muscles and the breathlessness in his lungs that he felt just then.

His mood shifted suddenly as a mech appeared in his path. He dodged it easily and it went on its way, the man inside yelling for him to watch himself. He looked at it as it walked away, the large machine was just as tall as him, as a Na'vi. These were the machines the other tribe had told the Omatacaya they had seen the humans mining in, and he was sure the humans were prepared to use them for much worse than mining.

Jake turned from the retreating mech and began running again, but this time, he wasn't running for him, he felt like each step brought him closer to Tsu'tey. He ran through a garden patch full of plants he knew, some he knew were used for medicine, some for paints, some for food. He could feel the loose dirt kick up as he ran, and he felt overwhelmed by the sense that he was finally home, where he had always belonged, where he was destined to come to. His run slowed until he stopped completely, he took in a deep breathe and dug his toes into the soil. This was home.

"Hey, marine," a voice pulled him from his thoughts

Jake looked up and saw an avatar body he knew only too well. "Grace" he tried to keep the distain from his voice.

"Well, who'd you expect, numb-nuts?" She smiled, almost good natured-ly at him. He wasn't sure why the sudden shift in attitude, but he didn't really care. His problem with Grace stemmed much deeper than her apparent previous dislike of him. He knew Grace, and while he knew it was probably not entirely her fault, he blamed her for what had happened, for him almost losing Tsu'tey.

"Think fast" she said, seemingly oblivious to his ill-feelings, as she plucked a deep purple fruit from a nearby tree and tossed it to him.

Jake could've laughed if he were in any other company, "Utu mauti" he said barely loud enough for Grace to hear. This was Tsu'tey's favorite fruit, and Jake had always wondered what it tasted like.

He bit into the soft skin and was immediately pleased with the flavor. He could see this taking the spot of his favorite fruit and tried not to get caught up in feeling closer to Tsu'tey.

"Yeah... that's right" Grace had a perplexed look on her face, but she seemed to shake it off "motor controls looking good."

She was smiling at him, a real, warm smile and Jake almost felt bad for the hate he felt for her. She didn't know, she didn't know that he knew what had happened. But that didn't change anything.

"Yeah" he couldn't keep the scowl from his lips as he moved past her. He could feel, rather than see, the confused look on her face. He wasn't here to make friends. He was here to find Tsu'tey and help in any way he could, and as far as Jake knew, Grace was a threat to that goal.

Jake spent the rest of the day exploring the grounds, making polite, albeit short, conversation with some of the other people in avatar bodies--which he decided to use the name dreamwalker for, since that was the first way he learned to describe them.

When evening came, the other dreamwalkers gathered in the large hut located on the grounds, beds lined the walls and Jake figured this is where they left their bodies while they were not in use.

He sat and listened to the chatter around him, wishing he was with the Omatacaya.

"Lights out," he heard Grace shout as she flicked off the overhead lights, "see you at dinner, kiddies."

Jake followed the example of the other dreamwalkers and laid down on his large cot. He could hear the sounds of the forest just out of reach as he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was back in the pod. He pushed the top open and tried not to feel disappointed when there was no pull of muscle in his legs.

"Welcome back" he heard Max say above him, pulling him away from his self-pity.

It appeared all was forgiven for his rouge escape from the lab.

"You okay?" He asked as Jake sat up and began lowering himself into his chair.

"Yeah, I'm alright" Jake tried to sound convincing as he hoisted his legs out of the pod.


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm Trudy, I fly all the science-sorties" the rough-around-the-edges looking woman he'd been told to follow said as she led him across the hanger deck.

It had only been an hour or so since Jake had come back into his human body and he was trying very hard to focus on what was going on. He knew all this was important. He knew he needed to learn all he could about the humans here and their operation, their plans, so when he got to Tsu'tey he could be useful to him.

"This here is my baby" Trudy smiled at him, patting an armored helicopter. Jake had to fight every muscle in his face not to grimace or scowl at her. She seemed nice, he didn't want to hate her, just like he didn't necessarily want to hate Grace. But, Trudy, no matter how nice, was a part of the biggest threat there was to the Omatacaya.

"Hold on a second," Trudy said, throwing the clipboard she'd been holding into the front seat, "hey, Wainfleet!" She yelled out as she hoisted herself up onto the side of the helicopter to inspect something, "Get it done! We bounce at zero-nine."

"Yeah, I'm on it, captaine" a huge army type yelled back to her, mounting a large gun into the cargo deck of the helicopter.

Trudy, apparently done with her inspection, hopped down next to Jake and started walking once more.

"Vine strike's still loose," she offered, he guessed as an explanation for their brief stop.

"You guys are packing some heavy gear" Jake said, managing to keep the worry and distain from his voice.

"Yeah, that's 'cause we're not the only things flyin' around out there... or the biggest" Trudy shot him a coy smile, "I'm gonna need you on a door gun. I'm a man short."

Jake's blood ran like ice in his veins, "yeah..." he had almost forgotten that all they saw him as was a marine. They would assume he was on their side.

Trudy gave him a questioning look, that obviously hadn't been the answer she was expecting, "Well... anyway, there's your man. See you on the flight line." She said as she came to a stop, she offered him a fist bump as a goodbye before walking off.

Jake eyed the room in front of him, his brow drawn with the effort to wrangle a number of emotions, none of them positive. As he wheeled his way closer he was able to make out the darkened figure inside. He was a large man, bench-pressing what looked like was about Jake's body weight with relative ease.

"You wanted to see me, Colonel?" Jake decided to make himself known.

"This low gravity will make you soft" the man spoke with a fittingly deep, gruff voice. Jake knew the type well, the testosterone fueled drill Sargent kind that wouldn't hesitate to chew you up and spit you out at the first sign of weakness. "You get soft... Pandora will shit you out dead with zero warning." The colonel was sitting up, looking at him with hard, beady eyes. "I pulled your record, Corporal. Venezuela, that was some mean bush. Nothin' like this here, though." His eyes flickered down to Jake's legs for just a moment, and he suddenly felt like a slab of meat getting eyeballed by a butcher, "you have some heart, kid, showing up in this neighborhood."

Jake stayed silent.

The colonel frowned, he had obviously been looking for a response, "I was First Recon myself," he started up again as he stood, gesturing for Jake to follow as he walked out of the dark room, "A few years ahead of you, well, maybe more than a few. Three tours Nigeria, not a scratch. I come out here..." he turns back so Jake can see him gesturing to the side of his head where long, raised scars run across, "Day one. Think I felt like a shavetail louie?" He turned back, walking until they reach one of the large mechs Jake had seen earlier, "Yeah. Oh, they could fix me up if I rotated back. Make me pretty again. But you know what? I kinda like it. It reminds me every day of what's waiting out there."

As the colonel looked at him, Jake felt hatred like he never had before course through him like blood. Forget Grace, forget Trudy, forget every other human on this planet, this man was a threat. Jake could see it in his eyes, there was no part of this man that saw the Na'vis as people, no, they were animals to him, beasts that stood in his way. Jake wished with every fiber of his being that whatever had put those scars on that man's head had dug deeper and ripped his skull from his spine.

The colonel, oblivious to the burning hate Jake felt, turned from him and began climbing up the mech, "The avatar program is a bad joke. Bunch of limp-dick science majors." He spat the words out like a curse. "However, it does present an opportunity both timely and unique." Jake moved onto a elevator platform so he could be raised up level with the colonel, who had settled himself into the mech, which suddenly roared to life.

For all the trouble Jake had had up to this point listening to the words people around him said, so focused was he on his end goal, he found himself painfully aware of every anger-inducing fucking syllable that spilled from this man's mouth.

"A recon gyrene in an avatar body. That's a potent mix. Give me the goosebumps." The colonel smiled at him and Jake felt bile rise in his throat "Such a marine could provide the intel I need right on the ground. Right in the hostile's camp."

Jake could barely breathe, his chest felt white hot and his throat was so dry. He wanted to kill this man.

"Look, Sully, I want you to learn these savages from the inside. I want you to gain their trust. I need to know how to force their cooperation or hammer them hard if they won't."

Jake could've smiled, he knew he should probably play nice, get on the colonel's good side and play him. But Jake was self-aware enough to know that he would never be able to hold his tongue for long, he would slip up and any ground he would potentially have gained from the faux alliance would be worthless. So, Jake decided, he shouldn't waste his time.

"Colonel, with all due respect, I have better things to do than sit in your pocket."

"Is that so?" The colonel scowled at him "I didn't have you pegged as one of those Science pukes."

"Guess you were wrong then."

"I guess I was." The colonel sneered at him, then with a shake of his arms, the mech began to move. The colonel flexed its fingers and he took a few steps forward before turning back to Jake "This is a mistake, son. I take care of my own. I could get your legs back. I'll give you one last chance to reconsider."

"I didn't take you as one to beg, Colonel." Jake let a sneer tug at his lips.

"You've just made yourself a mighty enemy, boy, I hope you realize that." And with one last scowling glare, the colonel walked away, the mech's steps reverberating across the deck.


	7. Chapter 7

"Link's ready!" Max called out as Jake settled into his pod.

This was it, he was going out, they were going to the Omatacaya, granted it was with Grace and Norm, but Jake would find a way to shake them... he had to. He couldn't have his first time meeting Tsu'tey being in front of them, he couldn't give them that kind of leverage over him.

Excitement and pure, unbridled terror buzzed just under his skin, making his palms sweat and his muscles twitch. He's ready, or at least he hopes so. Today was the day that Jake was going to meet the man he'd known for as long as he could remember, he was trying not to think too much. He was trying not to have expectations, of himself or Tsu'tey, twenty six years is a lot of buildup and he didn't want to be disappointed.

Jake tried not to think about all the things that could happen that would lead to disappointment. Assuming he actually succeeded in his half-baked plan of ditching Grace and Norm and finding the Omatacaya on his own, they could kill him on sight before he can explain himself, Tsu'tey could end up not actually existing, Tsu'tey could exist and not know Jake, Tsu'tey could not recognize him and not believe his explaination... every possible scenario had run itself through Jake's mind at least a dozen times, some more likely than others considering the evidence Jake had that Tsu'tey knew of him, but he tried to keep them from his thoughts now. There was no point worrying, he was too far in, whatever happens happens and Jake just hoped it will be in his favor.

Jake was mercifully pulled from his thoughts as Grace approached his pod, leaning over him. He was slightly surprised that his distain for her seemed to have diminished considerably, if he had learned anything from his less than pleasant interaction with the Colonel the day before, it was that the people he knew for a fact were out to cause the Na'vis harm saw the avatar program team as an obstacle. He still couldn't forgive Grace for her betrayal of the Omatacaya, but it was a start.

"That was a nice thing you did for us yesterday," Grace was looking at him with an open, grateful expression on her face.

"I didn't do it for you."

Grace stared at him for a moment, before her open expression closed to a hard, determined look, "I don't know why you're here... but you obviously have something going on that you have not disclosed. If you do anything to jeopardize this mission in any way-"

"I know what you did, Grace." Jake cut her off, he wasn't necessarily angry with her, but the idea of him being thought of as someone out to do the Na'vis harm made his gut twist just enough for him to lose a little self-control, "I'm not here for you or your program, I'm not here to help you," Jake sat up a little, reaching up past Grace to grab at the top half of his pod, "if anyone here is a danger to the Na'vi people, it's you, not me." Without waiting for a reply, Jake tugged on the pod, pulling it shut around him. He couldn't help but feel like maybe he was a little to harsh, but it was too late now.

-x-

Before he knew it, their helicopter was touching the ground and no more than a second passed before Jake was out. He drank in his surroundings, the gun they had insisted he'd carry hung limply at his side. The engines were cut off at Grace's order and Jake relished in the quiet of the forest around them.

He vaguely heard Grace and Norm speaking behind him, he briefly considered just breaking out in a run and getting as much distance between him and the others as he could, but he thought better of it, deciding to save desperate plans for last.

Jake had too much energy to stand still though, so he settled on taking a couple deliberate steps away from the clearing. A moment later, he felt Norm and Grace follow behind him, so he began walking deeper into the forest.

As they walked, Jake pretended he couldn't feel Grace's eyes boring into the back of his skull. He distracted himself by looking for any opportunity to slip away unnoticed.

That opportunity came as the form of a heard of Angtsìk, which he saw through the brush while Grace and Norm stopped to collect samples.

Jake looked back to make sure he was far enough away for his plan to work, when he was certain, he steeled himself and prayed that Eywa would forgive him. In one, swift motion, Jake swiped at the thick crop of touch-sensitive spiraled plants, causing them to retract suddenly, which startled the Angtsìk grazing behind them. Jake took in a deep breath and got ready to run as he pulled the trigger on the automatic rifle in his hands.

The response was immediate and exactly was Jake had wanted. He dived out of the way as the heard charged forward, he heard Grace and Norm's yells and felt a brief moment of guilt and hoped they had had the wherewithal to dodge the oncoming stampede. He couldn't wait around and find out though, he had to move.

Jake took off in the direction Grace had seemed to be steering them towards, removing his shoes so as to stay silent as he moved in case Grace and Norm decided to keep going.

He knew he was already in Omatacaya territory, so he knew he was being watched, but he needed himself seen by one particular Omatacaya. However, the longer Jake walked the less sure he became.

Little did Jake know that above him in the trees sat a Na'vi woman with her bow drawn and ready to shoot, when an Atokirina floated down and settled itself on the tip of her arrow just for a moment before floating away.

Neytiri stared at the dreamwalker who stepped silently and carefully just like a Na'vi, who seemed to be searching for something. A wild, excited smile tugged at her lips as she turned and leapt to the next branch over, a laugh almost escaping her lungs as she sped her way to where she knew her friend was keeping watch.

-x-

Jake was lost, he had no idea where he was at this point, he didn't even know if he was even still in Omatacaya territory. He had not seen a single Na'vi hostile or otherwise and he was about to just start screaming Tsu'tey's name in hopes the other would hear.

Suddenly, Jake heard crashing nearby, he was able to pick out the sound of heavy footsteps. Something was running towards Jake and he had no idea what to expect. He was backed into a corner with nowhere to run, so he braced himself, holding the spear he had made out in front of him.

He could hear the steps getting closer, Jake held his breath, ready to fight off whatever it was that was definitely making a beeline straight for him.

There was one final crash behind the foliage before the charging creature broke free.

Blue. It was very blue.

Whatever it was had come to a complete stop right inside the clearing Jake was in. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins so violently that it took him a moment, just the space of a blink but it felt like hours, before he could comprehend the figure that stood in front of him.

Tsu'tey.


	8. Chapter 8

Tsu'tey stood before Jake, his chest heaving, scratches littering his face and upper body, a few twigs and leaves were stuck in his braided hair.

Jake felt the spear he had been gripping so tightly fall from his hands, he didn't even hear it hit the forest floor.

"I..." Tsu'tey spoke, still catching his breath.

As soon as Neytiri had told him what she'd seen, Tsu'tey had taken off, moving faster than he had known he could. When he had gotten close enough to see Jake, he had nearly crashed to the ground from the branch he had just landed on. He hadn't stopped to think about first impressions or finesse as he managed to land semi-gracefully and had immediately broken out into a full blown sprint, taking none of the carefulness he usually prided himself in, opting instead to push his way through any brush in his path, paying no mind to brambles or sharp twigs that sliced at his skin.

Now he was standing before the other man, excitement and fear running through his system so violently he could barely remember how to breathe.

Tsu'tey took a tentative step forwards, trying to control the trembling in his hands.

Another step and Tsu'tey was only a foot away, his eyes boring into Jake's. Tsu'tey took in the features of the dreamwalker body before him. He could see, through the Na'vi features, the familiar curve of a jaw, the broadness of his nose.

Without thinking, Tsu'tey raised his hand, holding his breath as he cupped the other man's cheek, running the pad of his thumb over the bridge of his nose, the peak of his eyebrow, and down to his slightly parted lips. He drank it every inch of the man he had been certain he would never meet.

All at once, something inside Tsu'tey broke, all his usual stoicism melting away. He was suddenly brought back to a vivid memory of himself, as a child, running to the safety of his mother in the dead of night, tears streaming down his face, brimming with questions of why he was different, why he had dreams of a strange, pale boy he had never met. He remembered his mother taking him into her arms and telling him of an old legend, of Eywa making two people so meant for each other that she graced them with dreams of the other when they were far away. Tsu'tey had drawn comfort and strength from this knowledge, from knowing that this strange boy was meant for him in every way even if he had never let himself believe that he would ever meet him.

But here he stood, the man he was made for, the man who had traversed galaxies, who had given up his own planet, who had defied his own kind all for Tsu'tey.

"My human..." Tsu'tey breathed, his hand still cupping Jake's cheek.

A shuttering sob tore its way from Jake's lungs. He could hardly believe the figure standing in front of him was the man he had always known, who had always seemed so far away, who had always been strong and unmoving in his demeanor, was now trembling before him, his breaths coming out in shuttering gasps. Jake looked into the eyes he had always known to be hard and calculating that were now so open, glistening with all the emotions Jake felt exploding in his own rib cage.

He mirrored Tsu'tey's movement and brought his hand up to touch the other's cheek, wet from tears Tsu'tey hadn't noticed we're falling from his eyes.

"I told you I was coming, didn't I?" Jake said with a wet, shaky grin.

"Yes, you did," and that was all the warning Jake got before he was enveloped in the other's arms.

They stayed like that for a long time. Neither man had ever been much for physical contact, but right then they couldn't imagine ever wanting anything more than the other's touch.

Tsu'tey was the first to pull away, but only so he could look at Jake again.

"Is this a dream?" Jake asked, his voice just above a whisper.

"Not this time, Jake-Sully" Tsu'tey let out a deep, rich laugh that nearly made Jake's knees buckle, he didn't think he had ever heard the man laugh like that. Definitely not during the time leading up to his departure, not since the humans had invaded. Since then Tsu'tey had been reserved in his emotions, spending most of his time worried and angry. This was the first time in a long time Jake had seen the other man seem genuinely completely happy, and that fact make his heart break and soar all at once.

As Jake looked up at the man he had sacrificed everything for, he knew he had made the right choice. He knew that he would do whatever he needed to in order to protect him, to fight along side him. It didn't matter what obstacles lay in their way, Jake was going to drive the humans off this planet or die trying.

Tsu'tey watched as Jake's expression changed to the determined look he had seen before he had been lost to him for so long, his mouth set in a tight line. He could almost hear the thoughts going through the other's head, the worry sinking in his gut.

Tsu'tey wanted nothing more than to catch those lips in his own, to assure the man he had loved for so long that they would find a way to persevere, but he hesitated. The two were bonded, that was for certain, soulmates was the word his mother had used. But, Tsu'tey knew Jake's world, they did not believe in bonding or soulmates. He could not risk losing the man he had waited for for so long because he assumed the other felt the same. So he settled for pressing their foreheads together and listening to their heartbeats pounding furiously in their chests.

"Come, Jake-Sully," Tsu'tey spoke quietly, reluctantly breaking their contact and stepping away.

"Where?"

Tsu'tey smiled at him, happiness thrummed through his body with an almost tangible warmth, despite all the things he'd been through, all the things yet to come, he found himself filled with hope for himself and his people for the first time in years.

"Home."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Text in italics indicates that it is being spoken in the Na'vi language.

As they began walking, Jake realized evening had begun to turn into night. The bioluminescence that Jake had rarely gotten to see lit their path.

He wanted to talk to Tsu'tey, he had hundreds of questions he wanted to ask, but he seemed deep in thought so he settled for taking in his surroundings.

They hadn't been walking long before they heard a small thump just slightly above them.

"Are they gone?" Tsu'tey asked before he even bothered to look up.

"Yes, the sky people have left in their machines" Jake looked up to see a Na'vi woman he knew all too well. "Is it safe to join you both or are you still getting acquainted?" She sent them a sly grin "I would not want to intrude."

"Neytiri." Tsu'tey growled at her, and Jake could've sworn he saw embarrassment on the other's face before he turned and continued walking, "come along if you must."

Neytiri laughed before jumping down beside Jake, "I am Neytiri, but I am sure you knew that."

"Yeah, nice to meet you," Jake smiled at her, he knew Neytiri well, he had watched her grow up beside Tsu'tey, he had watched as it had been announced that they were to be the next olo'eyktan and tsahik. Jake tried to ignore the pang of jealousy that always went through him at the thought of Neytiri and Tsu'tey's marital arrangement, which was ten fold now that he was standing there beside them. He knew Tsu'tey held no romantic feelings for her, but he also knew that Tsu'tey was loyal to his clan above all things and would do what was best for them.

"It is nice to finally meet you," she gave him a good natured smile that slipped back into her coy look from before, "maybe now Tsu'tey will shut up about you for more than a few minutes."

Jake saw Tsu'tey's shoulders stiffen, his pace halting just for a second before he started off again, perhaps slightly faster than before. He tried, unsuccessfully, to keep a deep blush from erupting across his cheeks.

"How about we spend the rest of this journey in silence." Tsu'tey sent a warning look over his shoulder.

Neytiri answered with an innocent smile before her expression turned serious, "what are you going to say when we arrive?"

Tsu'tey looked back at her again, his brow drawn slightly in thought, "the truth."

Neytiri nodded, "that would be best."

"I'm sorry," Jake interjected, tired of feeling like a third wheel, "maybe I should be let in on this plan? So I know what to expect."

Tsu'tey's steps slowed to a stop, he stood with his back facing them for a moment before turning, uncertainty written across his face.

"I am not sure," Tsu'tey looked at him with an almost apologetic expression, "I am not sure how they will react... I have told no one of you besides Neytiri. It is my hope that my... connection with you will be enough to make them overlook their ill-feelings,"

"But we cannot be certain," Neytiri nodded somberly "they will likely accept you, but... they might also attempt to kill you."

Jake nodded, he had expected as much, and he could hardly blame them, "and if that happens?"

Tsu'tey and Neytiri looked at each other, "then I will protect you," Tsu'tey gave him a determined look, "we will either fight until they see reason or until they kill us both."

Jake stared at him, he couldn't believe what he was saying. Tsu'tey, who had never spoken or acted in anything but in the interest of his clan, was willing to defy them for Jake, to die for Jake at the hands of his people.

"I can't ask you to do that," Jake took a step towards Tsu'tey, bringing a hand up to touch the other's cheek, either forgetting or not caring that they had an audience.

"You sacrificed everything to come here, to try and help me and my people," Tsu'tey said as he leaned slightly into Jake's touch, "I will lay my life down to protect you."

"I didn't come all this way so you could die."

"If they do not accept you, Jake, then they do not accept me. Eytukan will make his choice, we will deal with whatever that choice is together." There was finality in his voice as he offered Jake a comforting smile before pulling away from their contact and starting off again.

"It will be fine," Neytiri whispered as they followed behind Tsu'tey, "my father trusts him, he trusts his judgement."

"I hope so," Jake whispered back.

They fell silent as they walked, each occupied in their own thoughts.

-x-

Perhaps a little too soon for all their liking, the trio found themselves getting close to Hometree. They heard a rustle in the nearby brush and saw as several Na'vi stepped out of the thick forest towards them, not blocking their path, but staring at them with an intensity none of them were used to. This continued as they walked, larger and larger groups moving to line their path, watching. Some, mostly the younger Na'vi, held nothing but curiosity in their stares. Others, however, were baffled, confused at best, livid at worse.

A group of males Tsu'tey and Neytiri recognized as a particularly rowdy bunch of freshly trained warriors, lunged at Jake, obviously meaning to restrain him. Tsu'tey was in front of Jake before they had a chance, snarling and baring his teeth. When the group backed off, confusion drawn in their brows, Tsu'tey moved to Jake's side as they continued walking. Jake could see now how Tsu'tey's eyes were flickering madly from one Na'vi to the next, scanning for any possible threat they presented.

Jake's breath caught in his throat as he saw the roots of Hometree jutting up from the ground. As they passed through, the groups of observing Na'vi grew thick. They parted as the trio moved forward, but Jake could see the hate in some of their eyes, the reality of the situation pulling the air from his lungs. He had known when he'd come that it was a very real possibility that they would not accept him and that he would die. Panic began to sit heavy in Jake's veins, it wasn't his own life he was unprepared to lose, it was Tsu'tey's. Never had Jake thought Tsu'tey would lay down his life to protect him from the judgment of the Omaticaya, but here he was, hissing and snarling at anyone who dared move to touch Jake. He was not prepared to watch Tsu'tey die, he had come here to help him, to protect him, not pit him against his own people.

Then, Jake felt a large hand rest itself on the small of his back, and all his thoughts grew quiet. He looked up to see Tsu'tey looking at him from the corner of his eye. "I know the look that is on your face. Trust that whatever happens is a part of the plan Eywa has laid out for us. If we shall die together tonight, then so be it."

Jake could not find it in him to summon words to his lips, so he gave a nod and moved just slightly closer to Tsu'tey. His mind now calmed, Jake let himself consider if their situation had been reversed. If Tsu'tey had come to earth, had come to protect him, would Jake be willing to sacrifice himself in the same way. Jake knew the answer, knew that he would give up anything, do anything, for the man by his side.

When a golden light became visible in the distance, Jake's mind grew quiet, he knew they were approaching the center of Hometree now. There was no turning back. As the three of them stepped out of the crowd of Na'vi and into the ring of light, as Jake looked up and saw Eytukan standing on a platform under the skeletal frame of the Toruk, he was calm.

 _"Father"_ Neytiri spoke, stepping away from the other two, bowing her head _"I see you."_

 _"What is this? This creature... why do you bring him here?"_ Eytukan asked, his voice even, but his eyes hard and sharp as he stepped down from the platform and walked towards them, his gaze flitting between the three of them.

 _"He is... special. There was a sign from Eywa."_ Neytiri's eyes flicked back to them, letting them know that it was their place, not her's to reveal their connection.

 _"I have said no dreamwalkers will come here. Yet you bring him here, you do no kill him. Neytiri, I might expect this from you... but Tsu'tey,"_ his eyes locked onto Tsu'tey, who was holding his head high, ready, _"you have hated the skypeople more than others. Explain yourself."_

Tsu'tey drew in a deep breath, his hand never leaving Jake's back, _"He is mine. We are bonded, he is to be my mate."_

Jake might've reacted to those words if Eytukan had not stepped forward and struck Tsu'tey across the face.

_"You are bonded to Neytiri, you are to be mated to her. What is this treachery, this act of treason?"_

Tsu'tey opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as Jake dropped to his knees, bracing his hands against the dirt, bowing his head, _"My name is Jake Sully, and I have dreamt of Tsu'tey every night since I was a small child. I saw what the skypeople were trying to do to your world, so I came to help. I am a warrior from earth and I have come to fight against the skypeople along side your people if you will allow it."_

 _"Is this true?"_ Mo'at spoke up, descending stairs built into a root of Hometree and walking to Jake and Tsu'tey, _"Tsu'tey have you dreamt of this skyperson?"_

 _"Every night since I was a child."_ Tsu'tey nodded to her.

 _"If this is true, then they are bonded by Eywa, meant to be together."_ Mo'at looked at Eytukan.

_"What of Neytiri then? Eywa has chosen Tsu'tey to be the next Olo'eyktan, we cannot choose a new mate for her."_

_"I do not desire a mate,"_ Neytiri frowned at her father, _"I will be happy as Tsahik, and I will be happy with Tsu'tey as Olo'eyktan with Jake as his mate."_

Eytukan lips set in a line, he looked as though he wanted to object, but he could not seem to find an argument against it, his features relaxing, _"Very well, Tsu'tey and Neytiri will train JakeSully to be an Omaticaya warrior, he will become one of us, fight for us."_

Eytukan approached Jake, _"Rise, JakeSully,"_ Jake complied, standing but keeping his head bowed, _"learn well, so you may prove yourself."_

Jake raised his head to meet the gaze of Eytukan, _"thank you."_ Relief washed through him in waves and it was all he could do to keep his legs from buckling.


End file.
